Abdul Bari Masoud
New Delhi: Muslim women today rejected Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s offer of providing justice to them, and asked him if he is really concerned about Muslim women then secure justice for Zakia Jaffrey, the widow of slain former MP, Ehsan Jafffey. They also said the PM should focus on other burning issues confronting the common masses adding that the Muslim women are totally secured under the Shariah Laws and have got the rights which no other religion has provided to the women.
Addressing a presser at the Press Club of India here, Muslim women from various walks of life, school of thoughts and organizations asked the Modi government to focus on education, health, inflation and other real issues confronting the masses for bringing “ache din’ as promised in BJP’s poll manifesto. It is unfortunate, for petty political gains and diverting attention from its failure, the Modi government is interfering in internal religious matter of a community.
“People who have got only lip service for the gender justice and gender equality is intentionally or unintentionally falling into the trap of Uniform Civil Code which is the core agenda of the present day’s Government as has been mentioned in their manifesto”.
Dr. Asma Zehra, Member Executive – All India Muslim Personal Law Board, said triple talaq is not an issue but a manufactured issue raked up for diverting attention of the public from failure of the present government. Opposing any ban on triple talaq, she said that overwhelming majority of the Muslim women are totally satisfied with the marriage laws under Shariah and under no circumstances they would like any change in the same.
When asked about Msulim Mahila Andolan and others demanding ban on triple talaq and polygamy, Dr Asma Zehra quipped that these so-called Muslim women don’t know the ABCD of Shariah and they are raking up the issue at someone’s bidding.
“The community has one opinion on the subject and these women are free to adopt any law and we also want to make it clear that the all such activists who are bent upon bringing in the Uniform Civil Code by misrepresenting the facts to the nation will never succeed in their nefarious designs.”
Sharing her experiences at a Family Court in Jaipur, Mrs. Yasmeen Farooqui from Women India, Rajasthan said Islam’s marriage laws are the best as it is very difficult in non-Muslim societies for a couple to get separated if they are not in a position to pull together properly.
In reply to a question, Atiya Siddiqui, Member of Jamaat Islami Hind said the new found love of the Prime Minister for Muslim women is amazing, he should first get justice to Zakia Jaffery who has been running from pillar to post since 2002 to get justice for her husband and Gulberg society residents who were brutally killed in Gujarat riots of 2002 when PM Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat. It is to be recalled that late Jaffery had made innumerable distress phone calls to Mr Modi and officials before being killed by the violent mob.
Woman representatives said: “It is amazing to note that Sangh Parivar is speaking in different voices. Whereas RSS says that Triple Talaq is an internal affair of the Muslims in the country, the Prime Minister has given an absolutely divergent affidavit without caring of 18 Crores of the Muslims who are also the proud citizens of this country and have complete faith in the constitution of India. It is sad that the Prime Minister has lowered his office by making it an election agenda”.
Leaving a poser to those who talks about the gender equality and gender justice:
- Why they have not been in a position to bring in legislation for 50% representation of the women?
- What is the representation of the women in judiciary?
- Why the women are not represented in IIT’s, top National Universities & research centers.
- What is the representation of women in Military?
They also asserted that divorce rate in Muslim society is very low in comparison to Hindus. There is no divorce registry in the country to present exact figures but stray figures reflect the reality.
“As the fact stands today, incidence of divorce among the Muslims is the least and same is the case of Polygamy but in spite of this it is projected that as if the Muslim men has no other job but to pronounce divorce”.
They underlined the fact polygamy is much prevalent in the Hindu society than in Muslims despite it is illegal act according Hindu Marriage laws.
“As per governments records the incidence of second marriages in Muslims is 3.5% whereas incidence of second marriage in Hindu Community is 6.8%.
The Muslim Second Wife enjoys all legal rights & Social Protection in Family & Religion. The real issue is of the “Mistress” & “Keeps” who are also women but do not get recognition as member of family & society in the other communities.”
They expressed the hope that the good sense will prevail on the government and the Prime Minister would be magnanimous in withdrawing its affidavit filed before the Supreme Court for the interference in the Shariah Laws.
They also claimed that Muslim Personal Law Board’s signature campaign is getting tremendous response to protect the shairah.
Flanked by AIMPLB executive member Kamal Farooqui, Mrs. Mamduha Majid, Mrs. Zeenath Mehtaab, Dr. Atiya Khilji, Mrs. Bushra Rehman and Mrs. Zeenath Mehtaab also spoke on the occasion and appeal to Hindu Sisters not to be mislead by Media Campaign but try to understand the real issue. –
This news cover photo itself indicates that muslim women need justice from triple talaq. This cover photo looks like zoo animals in cage. Hence we say.. muslim woman is parrot in a cage… parrot has security but no freedom!!
No one has right to criticise other regious beliefs. Don’t pull the strings till it breaks.. Don’t ignite un wanted rage society for political gains..
A tight slap of Muslim women on the face of the enemies of Islaam. 🙂 well we can feel the heat on your face too by your comment :).
You put off your biased glass, You will find it is a more dignified way of presenting women themselves. they are more secure and safe from the prowling eyes of men like you.They are not killed for dowry or rape as happen to other women who do not follow nature’s law. it is your biased mindset that cannot see the reason.Hope, good sense prevail upon you and you will respect those woman folk who adorn modest wearing to save themselves from prying eyes.
If an organization doesn’t like the way an elected leader of the people, for the people, by the people’s way of governing then why don’t they just move out of that country. It’s happening all over the world, foreigners become citizens after migrating to another country then try to change or instill the Law’s and traditions of that country to further benefit their own ideals and beliefs. Sadly, activists as well as communities such as these usually represent a very small percentage of a countries population, yet their constant determination and portrayals of unfairness, equality, and self pity somehow prevails in certain cases. How disheartening it must be to have your tradition & culture threatened and/or your way of life in the only country you’ve ever known and proud citizen of suddenly have its Law’s changed, taken away, or intruded upon in any other way by some selfishly unhappy & disrespectful organization, foreign community, or protester. Unbelievably.
How about the people who were originally from that land?
See this is one of the things that they don’t understand. Muslims have a superior law of living their life. The others worship the created things while Muslims worship the Creator directly. You see the level here.
Hence consciously or sub-consciously they (Muslims) can never ever go back to the inferior law.
It is impossible to rule over Muslims.
@ Secular Hindu,U only,keenly absorb what these muslim women told they want only justice and avoid interference in sharia, muslim personal laws by dis BJP RSS backed government.Need not show their faces before any stranger.MEANING IS BETTER THAN CHATTERING MOUTH.
So u shut ur eyes and open ur ears to hear and concentrate what they demanded.
It’s not a cage but it’s a LAKMAN REKA, which kept them safe and secure.
U people HINDUS LEAVE IT BUT WE MUSLIMS ADOPT IT HEART FULLY.
@secular hindu -women in viel feel protected from the lustrous view of the society. Moreover it’s the choice of women to show face or not, there is no restriction regarding that. Let u r women try viel once and ask them in which attire they feel free to roam around.
Nice article,,,,
And what about naked women in the street? Are they parrots or flirts outside cage seducing men? 68 per cent Hindu women are victims of divorce as per government record of 2011. What else they will do other than satisfaction through live – in illicit relations? Even polygamy is higher amongst Hindus and that polygamy is immoral also. Do something for your own women and set right your own dirty house in order first.
Muslims culture has no respect for woman one man can marry four women.Muslims woman has so much difficulty to divorce as their not financial independent so man enjoys with enjoys four woman Muslims men enjoy freedom like anything enjoyment with four woman has a spicy of life.. Hindus woman has freedom to divorce she doesn’t need to pay at the time of divorce in case she doesn’t have anything with her, but muslim woman has to pay divorce alimony thats compulsory even if she is not educated or financially well to do unreasonable law muslim law which only suppress women’s rights